Bitter Demons

4. This Isn't Going To Make Me Love You

I left the house feeling high. My energy was ramped up beyond normal. There was this one time in Atlanta when I drank three mochas in one afternoon. Walking out into the mist, I felt like that, only multiplied by ten. This was going to take some getting used to.

The outside lights were bright, illuminating all the fancy cars in the driveway. But there was no sign of the Shadowford van. I grumbled and looked both ways down the residential street. Had she seriously left me here? Was I supposed to call her? Or try to bum a ride back home?

With all this energy, I thought I could probably have walked home in record time.

"Need a ride?" Drake Ashworth stepped out of the shadows beside the garage, a silver box in his hand.

It suddenly felt like this night would never end.

"I don't know," I said. I glanced all around again, begging for the big white Shadowford van to magically come into view. "Did you see Ella Mae drive off? I thought she was waiting for me."

"She was," he said. He stepped closer. "I told her I'd make sure you got home safe and sound."

I rolled my eyes and sucked in a frustrated breath. So he already knew I needed a ride. Why did he even ask me in the first place?

"You didn't have to do that," I said.

"I wanted to spend some time with you," he said. "It's been tough to get a moment alone with you lately."

The last time Drake and I were alone was when he came to visit me in the hospital. He'd brought red roses. It was a sweet gesture, but by that point, I was already so done with him, no gift could salvage our relationship. After I told him how I felt, he stuffed the roses in the garbage and slammed the door. He also told me he never wanted to see me again. Guess he'd changed his mind.

"I'm kind of anxious to get home," I said, thinking about how Jackson and I had planned to meet up over an hour ago. "It's been a rough night."

He closed the space between us with one long stride. I wanted to step backwards, but it would have put me on the wet grass.

"God, you look amazing," he said. His eyes were glued to my face. "It's crazy. You look even more beautiful than ever."

He studied me like he was trying to memorize my face. It made me supremely uncomfortable. All I could think about was Jackson standing in the barn, wondering why the hell I'd ditched him. Instead, I was stuck here with the one guy in Peachville I couldn't stand.

"So, can we go?"

"I wanted to give you this," he said. He shoved the box toward me. It was small and the silver glittered in the bright lights.

"Thanks," I said. I stuffed the box in the pocket of my jeans.

Drake frowned. "Aren't you even going to open it?"

I wiped some of the light rain from my face. It was only lightly misting, but if we stood out there much longer, we'd be soaked.

I sighed and pulled the box from my pocket. I didn't want a present from him at all. Besides, no matter what was inside that box, it wasn't like I was going to suddenly change my mind and start going out with him again. Did he really believe that some trinket could change the way I felt?

I slipped the white ribbon from the box and opened it. Inside, nestled on a bed of white fluff, were two perfect diamond earrings. I gasped. "Jesus, Drake," I said. "This had to cost you a fortune."

He smiled. "You're worth it."

I picked up one of the earrings and studied it in the light. It was truly gorgeous. And it was probably more expensive than everything I'd ever owned combined. Still, it didn't change anything. I set the earring back down in the fluff and closed the box.

"I can't accept these," I said, holding the box out to him.

"Take it," he said. "I bought them for you."

I wanted to set the box down on the driveway and walk away, but that seemed childish. "This isn't going to make me love you," I said softly.

"I know," he said, his shoulders sagging. "But maybe it will make you think about taking me back?" He said it as a question.

"Can you take me home please?"

"Harper-"

"Drake, please," I said. "It's been a really long day. The last thing I want to do is stand out here in the rain."

He opened his mouth to speak, then must have seen the exasperated look on my face. He pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the doors to his Camaro. "All right," he said. "I'll take you home."

I got into the car, and he backed onto the quiet street. The silver box sat in my lap. What the heck was I going to do with diamond earrings? I couldn't wear them, because that would only give Drake reason to hope that I still cared about him in that way. Selling them seemed kind of mean. And it didn't seem right to just let them gather dust in my jewelry box.

"What were you doing at Mom's meeting, anyway?" he asked.

The rain was coming down harder and inside the car it was dark and cold.

"They wanted to talk to me about the game Friday night," I lied. "Something about being an ambassador for the team."

He made a face and glanced toward me. I wasn't sure he was buying my story, but he didn't ask anything else about it. We sat in silence for a minute, then he asked how I was feeling since I'd gotten home from the hospital.

"Much better," I said. "My shoulder still hurts sometimes, but it's getting better."

More silence. The whole ride was awkward and tense.

When we pulled down the driveway to Shadowford, he cleared his throat. "There's this mixer after the game Friday," he said. "At Lark's family's lake house. You heard about it?"

Everyone knew about the mixer. "Yeah."

"Will you go with me?" he said. "It doesn't have to be an official date or anything."

I looked out the window and wondered when this guy was going to get a clue. I didn't even know if I would be allowed to go to the party with this new curfew, but I certainly wasn't going with him. "I don't think so, Drake. And listen." I set the silver box on the dashboard. "I really can't accept these. Thanks for the thought and all, but it's over. I still want to be your friend, but that's it, okay?"

His eyes wandered over to the box, then down to his hands. "See you tomorrow at school?"

"Sure," I said. I got out of the car and ran up to the front porch, not even looking back as he drove away. I had a sinking feeling it wasn't anywhere close to over with Drake Ashworth.